"You think you're catching along?" she asked.
"I'm catching something but I'm not quite sure," Zeke responded.
"It's not really that hard."
"It's not that hard because you knew this since you were twelve."
"Don't exaggerate. I knew this when I was eleven, thank you very much."
"So how do you do this again?"
Madeline began instructed her friend while waving her pencil over his paper. "I told you: to find the angle, you have to multiply the given radian with one-hundred-eighty over pi. You can cross out the pis because there is one on both sides. Then you multiply the rest and find the degree. Now, if you want to find the radian, you need to use the given angle, place it over one-hundred-eighty and multiply it by pi." She waited for a response. "Did you hear what I just said?"
"Yeah."
"Then what did I say?"
"Y-You know."
"Zeke, I could give you the answers if I wanted to but you won't learn that way."
"I know. But can you anyway?"
"No. Listen, I'll just write the equations down on my paper and let you look at it." Madeline flipped over the worksheet to its blank side and began writing small notes on it.
Zeke observed the notes she had written on her paper and started copying it onto his worksheet. Then he used the equations to complete a question. "So if I use three-pi over four, my angle will be one-hundred-thirty-five?"
Madeline clapped. "Way to go. You're catching on."
"Well, I got to keep up with you, baby."
She picked up the open wrapper of a Hershey chocolate bar and broke off a pre-cut square. "Smart treat for a smart boy," she said, feeding Zeke the piece of chocolate.
"Thank you," he said, munching on the small confection. "What do I taste if I get all of them right?"
"Well, let's not carried away."
Zeke chuckled, making Madeline smile. She leaned towards him and they gradually began necking each other. As they made out, Zeke's father, Mr. Kendrick, walked downstairs with regular yet quiet steps. He noticed the teenagers kissing on the couch and walked right over. He stood right behind the couch and stared at them for a few seconds before speaking.
"You guys need anything?"
Madeline screamed, startled at the close, nasal voice of Mr. Kendrick, and jumped back from Zeke. Zeke was surprised as well but only when Madeline yelped.
"Are you alright?" Mr. Kendrick asked.
"Yeah," Madeline answered, sitting up straight. "You just scared me a bit. That's all."
"You guys need anything?"
"No thanks, dad," said Zeke. "We're fine."
"Are you sure? You two don't want some food or water?"
"Oh, we got a chocolate bar," said Madeline, holding it up.
"Ah, okay. You guys studying?"
"Yes, sir," Zeke answered.
"Didn't look like it."
"We're sorry," said Madeline. She then told Zeke, "We should go back to studying math."
"Math? It looked more like health. Get it? Because it looked like you two were doing CPR."
"Funny... sir."
"But if you need anything, let me know."
"Alright, dad," said Zeke.
Mr. Kendrick turned around to leave but in a few seconds, he turned back around. "So you're doing math?" he asked.
Madeline looked up without moving her head. "Yeah."
"Oh, I'm great at math."
"But you teach English."
"I went to school like you two."
"Yeah but you haven't been since 1885," she muttered under her breath.
"Excuse me?"
She said aloud, "I said when were you born? 1985?"
"Oh, I'm not that young."
"Yeah, you were born in, like, the 70's," Zeke noted.
"Be quiet, Zeke. Do you guys need help?"
"Oh, no, thanks," answered Madeline. "We got it."
Mr. Kendrick walked around the couch. "I'm going to help you anyway."
"Okay, then."
Mr. Kendrick squeezed himself in between the couple. "What kind of math is this?"
"Trig," answered Zeke.
"You're both in Trig?"
"Actually, Madeline is only doing this to study and help me out. She takes advanced calculus."
"Get out of town!"
"I wish I could, sir," Madeline said through a grin.
"What do you have to do for your homework, son?"
"I have to solve for radians," Zeke replied.
"Radians. I don't get what radians have to do with anything."
"We don't either but we have to do them anyway," said Madeline.
"How good are you in math?"
"Really good. I get A's. I get A's in everything. I've told you this."
"And you think you'll pass it this year?"
"Yeah."
"What else are you good at?"
"Everything. Not to brag. But, yeah, to brag."
Mr. Kendrick looked at his teenage son and snickered. That made his son snicker as well. "Where did you meet this girl, son?"
"I just bumped into her one day," Zeke responded. "I don't know; I guess it was love at first sight."
"Love?" Madeline made a face.
"It's like you bumped into your soulmate," said Mr. Kendrick.
"Maybe," shrugged Zeke.
"You better never let go of that."
"I know. That's why when graduation comes, I'm going to put a ring on it."
"Graduation?" Madeline raised her eyebrows.
"Atta boy," smiled Mr. Kendrick. "Sometimes you got to cage a bird so it won't fly away."
"But if I got wings, let me fly."
"I really think Madeline is something special," Zeke told his dad. "I'm going to save all my money to buy her a big rock and once we get married, we're going to have plenty of kids."
"Plenty?"
"You got something to look forward to, huh, Madeline?" inquired Mr. Kendrick.
Madeline paused. "Yeah, I got something to look forward to. College."
"How are you going to go to college if you're getting married?"
"Uh, how do you know if I'll say yes to your proposal?"
"Madeline, it's going to be a big rock," said Zeke.
"Big," his father repeated.
"I don't care," Madeline scrunched her forehead. Then she relaxed her face. "Actually, I might care. I love me some diamonds." Her face tensed again. "But no! I'm not marrying you after school ends."
"But why, Madeline?" Zeke asked.
"Just because I graduate high school doesn't mean I'm ready for marriage. I won't even be old enough to drink at bars. Not that I would drink. Alcohol damages the skin. But you know what I mean. Besides, we've been going out for months. You think marriage is something to talk about now?"
"Of course it's something to talk about," said Mr. Kendrick. "How are you going to get married if you don't talk about marriage? You got to talk about wedding plans."
Madeline stared at the two. She could clearly see the similarities in their faces. "Oh, heck, naw. Zeke, can I talk to you privately upstairs?"
"Sure, babe," he responded.
"Handle yours, son," Mr. Kendrick said softly.
Madeline stood up, holding her books. She picked up her backpack and threw it over one shoulder. Zeke stood up, placing his books on the table in front of him. Madeline led the way by marching upstairs and entering the kitchen. Zeke was right behind her and stopped when she stopped.
"What's wrong, Madeline?" he asked.
"What's wrong? Zeke, are you serious?"
"What do you mean?"
"When you were conversing with your dad, were you serious about wedding plans and all that?"
"Of course. It shouldn't be a surprise that I want to get married someday."
"But after senior graduation? Do you think that's a little too young to marry someone?"
"Hey, love is love."
"But I don't love you. I've known you since last summer. Boy, what do you think? This isn't 'Romeo and Juliet'. You're lucky you didn't drink any poison because if you go, I ain't coming with you."
"How can you say that?"
"Because this isn't 'Twilight'. Zeke, are you mad?"
"I'm mad that you don't want to marry me."
"Is your father pressuring you into marriage or something?"
"No. Well, he wants me to keep the generation going. But it's not in a pressuring way, I promise. Come on, don't tell me that you never want to get married."
"Of course, I want to get married. When I'm in my late twenties. Don't you make observations? The younger you are, the crappier the marriage."
"So there's a chance we could get married?"
"Zeke, I-- Probably but who knows? I know that I'm not going to marry you after I get out of high school. I've known you for a few months. How do I know you're not an ax murderer?"
"I don't own an ax."
"Oh, my God." Madeline began walking away but Zeke stopped her.
"No, wait, hey. Don't leave. I'm not a murderer either. Come on, I really like you."
"And you really like your dad. It's like you're some sort of... papa's boy."
"Isn't every guy one?"
"Not the ones who don't have fathers and some of the gay guys."
"What's wrong with me loving my dad?"
"Nothing. I just don't want you to become him because he's forcing you. I don't want to date... a teacher."
"Is that's what it's all about?"
"A little. But mostly because you're forcing me into marriage. I'm not even your girlfriend."
"How are you not my girlfriend? You met my dad, we make out and you feed me stuff. You are clearly my girlfriend."
"But you can't just go calling me your girlfriend without discussing that with me."
"I shouldn't have to discuss our relationship with you. It's obviously what it looks like."
"Well, now, it should look like that we're... just friends."
"Friends?"
"Yeah, we can still hang out and do things together and talk. We just won't make out and feed each other."
Zeke scowled. "I don't believe this."
"I'm sorry, Zeke."
He stared cold at Madeline before sprinting away and going back downstairs. "Dad! Madeline just broke up with me!"
"Hey, don't tell on me!" Madeline shouted.
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